Monokaki Notebook B5

The Monokaki notebook from Masuya features their special fountain pen paper.

This notebook contains 160 pages with 9mm ruled lines and cream paper. It is a lightweight paper specifically made for fountain pens so as to not bleed or feather. This paper is famous among Japanese writers and dates back to the 1940's.

These notebooks have been bound using section sewing for strength.

The cover is made from a washi paper with an intricate japanese design on the front glued to another thick card to make the book stiffer.

Masuya paper was born out of a chance meeting with famous Japanese author Fumio Niwa in a cafe. It was approaching the second world war and many writers were worried about an impending paper shortage. It was Fumio Niwa's words that inspired them to set about creating the perfect paper for use with fountain pens, the writing instrument of choice at the time.

The paper quickly gained a cult status and was even referred to as “literary award guaranteed paper”. Many famous Japanese writers such as Yasunari Kawabata, Yasushi Inoue, Eiji Yoshikawa, Ryotaro Shiba and Junnosuke Yoshiyuki were known to have used this paper.

It was developed in a cream colour to reduce eye strain when writing at night as the light does not reflect as brightly.